Car-coupling.



No. 718,706. PATENTED JAN. 20, 1903. E. 043mm.

GAR COUPLING. APPLICATION IILED MAY 2, 1902.

no MODEL. 2 SHEETSSHBET-1.-

' UNITED TATES ATENT OFFICE.

ELMER O. EVANS, OF MEDIA, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO MORRIS S. EVANS AND JOHN W. VVEVER, OF MEDIA, ILLINOIS, CHARLES WV. LAYMAN, OF LOMAX, ILLINOIS, ADOLPH MUELLER, OF DALLAS, ILLINOIS, AND DANIEL AR- THAUD,, OF WASHINGTON, IOWA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFIUATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 718,706, dated. January 20, 1903.

Application filed May 2, 1902. Serial No. 105,640. (No model.)

T all whom it y OOH/061%: the opening 6. These openings 6 and 7 are for Be it known that I, ELMER O. EVANS, a citithe purpose of receiving a trip-pin 8. The zen of the United States, residing at Media, in upper part of said trip-pin is square and has the county of Henderson and State of Illinois, running longitudinally through it for a part have invented certain new and useful Imof its way a slot 9, and in this vertical slot is provements in Oar-Couplers; and I do depivoted a trip-lever 10. This trip-lever conclare the following to be a full, clear, and exsists of a single bar of metal having a shoulact description of the invention, such as will der 11 extending at right angles from its pivenable others skilled in the art to which it apoted end, and in the free end of this trip- 10 pertains to make and use the same, reference lever is a perforation 12. When this tripbeing had to the accompanying drawings,and pin 8 is down and in place, the front face of to the figures of reference marked thereon, the shoulder 11 rests against the front wall which form a part of this specification. of the square opening 6. On said trip-pin My invention isa car-coupler, and relates to and some little distance below the trip-lever I5 that class of couplers known as theJanney is a shoulder 13, and this shoulder 13 rests yp under the front wall of the upper opening 6,

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis so that when the said trip-pin is down its a top plan view of my coupler. Fig. 2 is a shoulder 13 rests under and is kept from movlongitudinal vertical sectional View of Fig. 1 ing up by said wall, and when the free end 20 on the line X X. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal of the trip-lever 10 is raised the right-angle horizontal sectional view, the top half of the shoulder 11 presses against the front wall of coupler being removed toshow the mechanism the opening 6, and this presses said trip-pin of the lower half. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional back, and consequently the shoulder 13 out, view of the lower half of the coupler cut on from under the wall of the opening, releasing 25 the line A 4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a detail and the trip-pin, so that it may be drawn up, and perspective view of the lower and left-hand thus unlock the coupler. Said trip-pin 8 is side of the jaw of the coupler. Fig. 6 is a botprovided with a lower enlargement 14, also tom perspective view of the lock-plate. Fig. an under shoulder 15, and the extreme lower 7 is a perspective view of the knuckle, showend 16 of this trip-pin is beveled rearwardly.

3o ing the inner shoulder of the knuckle and the On the inside of the left face of the lower half inner face of the locking-arm. Fig 8 is an of the jaw 17 is a socket 18, (see Fig. 4,) and edge View of the trip-pin and the hood which extending from the Wall of said lower jaw and covers the upper end of the same. Fig. 9 is one-half the way between the two walls of the a perspective View of the hood which covers said socket 18 is a lug 19. A lock-block 20,

35 the upper end of the trip-pin, and Fig. 10 is a adapted to fit in the mouth of said draw-head cross-sectional view of Fig. 9 on the line 10 10. and extending nearly across the same, is pro- My invention is described as follows: vided with a bifurcated knuckle 21, said 8; 1 is a draw-head bifurcated at its front end knuckle fitting in the said socket 18 and said and provided with side flanges 2, so that the lug fitting in the slot which bifurcates the said 0 said draw-head may be made reasonably thin, knuckle. The said lock-block is provided yet strong, and in the upper face of said drawwith a square opening 22, which is on an exhead is awell or a depression 3, having around act line with the square openings 6 and 7 and 0 it a wall at, and running back a considerable through which the trip-pin 8 passes. Fig. 6 depth into said draw-head is a recess 5, and is a perspective view of said lock-block, in

5 running down through the upper wall of said which an enlargement 23 shows the lower recess or well is a square opening 6, and runbulge of the knuckle 21, mentioned above, and ning down through the lower wall of the drawin which the depressions 24 and 25 show the 5 head is a square opening 7, corresponding to tracks of a locking-arm 26 and its point 27, re-

spect ively. Passing through said lock-block is a horizontal perforation 28, (see Fig. 2,) and through the said trip-pin 8 passes a corresponding perforation 2.), and between the front wall of the square opening 7 and against the rear face of the trip-pin 8 is a spiral spring 30, and passing through the perforation 2S, spring 30, and the perforation is a bolt 31, and passing vertically through said bolt 31 is a spring-pin 32. The forward end 33 of said boltturns at a right angle to its body and fits in a depression 3- in the upper face of the lock-block 20, and extending forwardly from the depression 34: is another depression or channel 35. This channel is to enable the mechanic to put the said bolt in position when the draw-head is all cast in one piece, which I prefer. The spring holds the front face of the coupling-pin against the front walls of the openings 6 and '7, and consequently holds the shoulder 13 under the front wall of the upper part of the coupler when the trip-pin is down, and when up holds the shoulder 15 on the lower wall of the coupler. The result of this combination is that the said trip-pin maybe moved rearwardly, and thus be raised; but it is never raised enough to allow its tapered end 16 to entirely escape from the lower opening 7, and the further result of this coinbinationis thatit oulyoperatesin conjunction with the lock-block f.0that is to say, when the trip-pin is raised the locking end of said lock-block is also raised, and when the locking end of said lock-block is pressed down the pin is also carried down with it. The upper end of said trip-pin is provided in each edge with a groove 36, and fitting over the top of said trip-pin is a hood 37, provided with internal tongues 38, which it in the said grooves 36 and allow the hood to move up and down. The rear part of the said hood extends downwardly, forming a wedge 39 from its lower point 40 to its upper point 4:]. This hood is also provided at its upper end with a perforated elevation 42. Extending from said perforation 42 is a chain 43, and from the perforated end of the lever 10 is another chain 44, which is secured to chain 43 at a point a short distance above the elevation of the hood. The chains are so constructed as to their length that when pulled on the wedge is first moved up out of the way, and then the second operation is to draw up the end of the lever 10, which operation throws the trip-pin rearwardly and releases its shoulder 15 from under the upper wall of the draw-head, and as the pin goes up, being secured to the lockblock 20, the free end of the lock-block 20 also goes up, and thus the coupler is unlocked and the spring 30. Then the trip-pin is carried up sufficiently high, the shoulder 15 is thrown forward and over the edge of the lower opening 7 and onto the upper face of the lower wall of the coupler.

The purpose of the wedge 37 is to keep the trip-pin tight up to the front and its shoulder 13 under the upper wall of the coupler,

so that there can possibly be no opportunity for the locking-arm, hereinafter described, to escape from behind the lock-block. As the car moves and jolts and jostles along the tendency of the wedge is to constantly keep the trip-pin pressed to the front.

In the inner face of the left-hand jaw of the coupler is a recess 45, (see Fig. 3,) hereinafter described. The forward end of the right-hand wall 46 is bifurcated, and in this bifurcation is hinged a knuckle 47 by means of a pin 48, which passes through the perforations 49 in the forward end of said coupler and through a corresponding perforation in said knuckle. Said knuckle is also provided with perforations 50, so that the said coupler may be coupled to other cars not provided with this coupler. Said knuckle is provided with an outer or forward shoulder 51, which impinges against the point 52 of the forward end of said coupler. The object of this shoulder is to keep the knuckle from being thrown too far back, and thus the point 27 of the locking-arm 26 is prevented from coming withv too much force against the stop 53 in the front end of the coupler. (See Fig. 5.) This stop arrests the locking-arm at this point, and consequently the said arm is never allowed to swing entirely out from the mouth of the coupler. It will be observed by reference to Fig. 3 that the point 27 of this arm extends outwardly a short distance and a little beyond the main arm and is curved or is made with a swell which fits into the depressions 45, so that should the pin 48 by any means be broken or the knuckle or the hinge by any means become unhinged the said arm being held firmly between the face of the wall and the face 5a of the locking-block (see Fig. 6) cannot be withdrawn, and consequently the coupler would not become uncoupled. Secured to the inner face and near the hinged part of said knuckle is the arm 26, above mentioned. Said arm has its rear part beveled nearly to an edge, so that it may pass under the lock-block 20, and the point of said arm is provided with a swell 27, as above described. The front face of said arm is nearly vertical, butinclines a little rearwardly, while the locking-face 54 of the lock-block inclines a little under, so that the two inclines correspond. The purpose of these inclines is to allow the lock'block to be raised easily and not impinge against the face of the lockingarm when being so raised. WVhen the lockblock is raised, the said locking-arm escapes, the knuckle flies back, and the coupler is uncoupled. When the coupling-pin is raised sufficiently, the shoulder 15 rests on the lower wall, and consequently holds the lock-block up, and thus, as above said, the arm 26 is permitted to escape until the point reaches the stop 53.

The lower face of the lock-block has two tapering recesses 24: and 25, respectively, so that when the locking end of said lock-block is down the locking-arm 26 and its point 55 may pass under said tapering recesses and pass beyond the locking edge 54 of said block, and as this is done the point 55 strikes against the enlargement 14 of the trippin and throws the shoulder 15 back off of the wall, and the weight of the pin and the lock-block causes the pin to immediately drop and the spring 30 presses itforward and the shoulder 13immediately passes under the other wall of the coupler and the wedge 39 slips down behind the pin and keeps it tight in place.

My full-sized coupler is intended for freight and passenger steam-cars and heavy cars of all kinds; but the coupler may be smaller and lighter and adapted to street-cars and light coaches.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. An automatic car-coupler, consisting of a draw-head, having in the inner side of one of its walls, a recess, the same wall being bifurcated at its front end; a socket in the other side wall, and a lug extending across the said socket; a knuckle hinged in said bifurcation, having an outward shoulder, adapted to impinge against the end of the wall, to which it is hinged; an arm integral with, and extending from the rear face of said knuckle, and having its rear side beveled down nearly to an edge; a point extending rearwardly from the free end of said arm, and terminating in a swell, adapted to fit in said recess; the rear edge of said arm adapted to lie close against the face of said wall, and its point to impinge against a stop in the mouth of the draw-head; a lock-block provided with a square vertical perforation, and having in its lower face two inclined recesses; said lock-block adapted to straddle the said lug and to fit in the socket, just described; a stop secured to the lower wall, and adapted to arrest the point of the locking-arm, the upper and lower walls provided with square vertical openings, on a line with the opening of the lock-block; a trip-pin provided with a vertical slot, on each side vertical grooves, an enlargement, forming upper and lower shoulders, and a perforation through its center; said trip pin passing through the square openings, above mentioned, its upper shoulder adapted to rest under the upper wall, and its lower shoulder on the lower wall of the coupler; a bolt passing through said lock-block, and trip-pin, its front end bent at an angle, and resting in a right-angle depression in the upper face of the lock-block; a spring-pin passing vertically through the lock-block, and said bolt; a spiral spring resting against the rear wall of the opening in the lock-block, and the rear face of the trip-pin; a hood provided with internal tongues, and terminating in a wedge; said hood adapted to work up and down on the upper end of said trip-pin, and the wedge between the rear face of said trip-pin, and the wall of the opening; a lever, having a shoulder, and hinged in the slot of said trippin, and adapted, when its free end is raised, to throw the said pin back, and release its shoulder from under the upper wall of the draw-head; chains, one secured to the hood, and the other to the free end of the trip-lever, and so attached when the chains are pulled on, the wedge will be raised first, and then the lever next, and then the trip-pin raised, thus raising the lock-block, and uncoupling the car, substantially as shown and described and for the purposes set forth.

2. An automatic car-coupler, consisting of a draw-head, having in the inner side of one of its walls a recess, the same wall being bifurcated at its front end, and a socket in the other side wall, and square vertical openings in its upper and lower walls; aknuckle hinged in said bifurcation, having an outward shoulder, adapted to impinge against the end of the wall to which it is hinged; an arm extending from the rear face of said knuckle; a point extending rearwardly from the free end of said arm, and terminating in a swell, adapted to fit in said recess; a lock-block, provided with a square vertical perforation, and having a knuckle 21 adapted to fit in said socket; a stop secured to the lower wall, and adapted to arrest the point in the locking-arm; a trippin, having an enlargement, forming an upper and lower shoulder, and a perforation passing through its center, said trip-pin passing through the square openings just mentioned, its upper shoulder adapted to rest under the upper wall, and its lower shoulder on the lower wall of the draw-head; a bolt securing said trip-pin in the lock-block; a spi ral spring resting against the rear wall of the opening in the lock-block, and the rear face of the trip-pin; a hood, fitting over the top of the trip-pin, and having one side terminating in a wedge, working between the rear wall of the upper opening, and the rear face of the trip-pin; a lever hinged to said trippin, and adapted, when its free end is raised, to throw said pin back, and release its shoulder from under the upper Wall of the drawhead; chains, secured to said hood, and the free end of said trip-lever,'and adapted to pull first on the free end of the lever, and then on the upper end of the hood, substantially as shown and described and for the purposes set forth.

3. An automatic car-coupler, consisting of a draw-head, one wall being bifurcated at its front end, and having in the other Wall, a knuckle-socket; square vertical perforations through its lower and upper walls; a knuckle hinged in said bifurcation; an arm extending from the rear face of said knuckle; a point extending rearwardly from the free end of said arm; alock-block provided with a square vertical perforation, having a knuckle 21 adapted to fit in said knuckle-socket; a stop secured to the lower wall, and front end of said draw-head,and adapted to arrest the point of the locking-arm; a trip-pin, having an enlargement, forming an upper and lower shoulder, and a perforation passing through its center, said trip-pin passing through the said perforations of the draw-head above mentioned; a bolt passing through said lockblock, and trip-pin; a spiral spring resting against the rear Wall of the opening, in the lock-block, and the rear face of the trip-pin; a hood, fitting over the top of said trip-pin, and having one side terminating in a wedge; said hood adapted to work up and down on the upper end of said trip-pin, and a Wedge between the rear face of said trip-pin, and the Wall in the opening; a lever pivoted to said trip-pin, and adapted, when its free end is ELMER O. EVANS.

vWitnesses:

JNo. M. MERCER, MARGARET J. MERCER. 

